The Days After the Darkness
by Edlyn
Summary: One of my first HP fics. After the Trio's 7th year. It starts slow but hopefully it will pick up. Constructive criticism welcomed.


Early morning sun strayed across Remus Lupin's face as he awoke to the sounds of an owl tapping at his window. Pulling his dressing gown on, he let the owl in and gazed briefly down at the Hogwarts grounds, covered in a thin layer of fresh snow.

Shivering slightly in the cold, he shut the window and took the letter from the owl's leg, recognizing Harry's handwriting on the envelope. At once he was filled with apprehension and anxiety- he hadn't heard from Harry in a month or more, but, as he reminded himself now, no news was good news. At the same time, he rather missed talking to Harry- but with him working in London with the Ministry and Remus up north, teaching at Hogwarts, it was hard. Keeping both these things in mind, he tore the envelope open.

__

Hullo Remus!

Pity we haven't talked in so long. I was wondering if you'd fancy coming down to London for a Christmas gathering- it's been so long since everyone's been together in one place! I'd love it if you could come, owl me back as soon as possible. I'm sure you could just come down to London on the Hogwarts Express when it takes students home for the holidays.

-Harry

Remus sighed in relief after finishing the letter. The threat of Voldemort had long since disappeared, and Harry's life was no longer in danger; still, that didn't stop him worrying about him. Harry was 24 now, and working for the Ministry of Magic as an Auror. Much had changed since Voldemort's fall in Harry's seventh year at Hogwarts. Fudge had resigned as Minister of Magic and Arthur Weasley had taken his place; if anyone were to ask Remus he'd say Arthur was doing an infinitely better job than his predecessor.

Remus had again taken up the position as professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, and had been there for five years. He felt better than he ever had; the threat of the Dark Lord was gone and he and the people he loved could live in peace.

He brought out a quill and some parchment and quickly composed his reply to Harry.

__

Harry-

I'd love to come down for Christmas, sounds brilliant. I'll talk to Hermione about it today during classes. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone, and yes, I'll just be taking the Hogwarts Express down. I'm sure the Headmistress won't mind.

See you then,

Remus.

As soon as he had finished he remember something he ought to add and cursed silently at the inconvenience whilst scribbling a postscript:

__

P.S: Full moon's 28 December. I'll have the Wolfesbane with me but I don't want to risk staying in your flat. If you know of anywhere I can go that'd be great, otherwise I'll have to return to Hogwarts on Boxing Day.

He decided, now that he was already up, to go down to the Great Hall and have an early breakfast. He knew Hermione would probably be there- she had taken up the position of Transfiguration professor after Professor McGonagall had retired- as she was always up bright and early, and he rather enjoyed her company.

"Good morning, Hermione," he called when he entered the Hall and saw, true to form, Hermione sitting at the teachers' table sipping coffee and reading the _Daily Prophet_.

Hermione looked up and grinned at him. "Morning, Remus. Did you get an owl from Harry this morning?"

Remus nodded. "I did. I'll be going down on the Hogwarts Express."

"Me too, good. I do hate traveling on it with just the students."

Remus laughed. "Aye, I know it. I'm quite looking forward to seeing everyone again, aren't you?"

"Oh yes," said Hermione eagerly, laying down her newspaper in favor of conversation. 

"It's been far too long since I've seen Harry and everyone else. Feels like only yesterday we were in school together."

"Oy, I know that feeling. I remember in your fifth year, when the Order was first reorganized, talking to Sirius in Grimmauld Place and it was like no time had passed at all. Strange, isn't it?" 

Hermione gave him a small smile and nodded. "That it is, Remus. Oh, I was wondering-"

"I'M HERE!" someone shouted from the back of the Great Hall before she could finish her sentence. Both of them looked up, startled, to see a head of flaming red hair attached to a tall, lanky body bolting towards them.

"RON!" Hermione shrieked, coming down from the teachers' table and running to meet her husband. "What are you doing here?" 

Remus grinned as he watched the two embrace. He'd been in on Ron's surprise visit- Ron worked at the Ministry in London with Harry and the two missed each other terribly. They had been married just a year out of school, when both were eighteen. Even though it was almost Christmas and they'd have seen each other anyway, Ron had wanted badly to surprise Hermione. And so his father had allowed him time off to make the trip up to Hogwarts.

"All right, Remus?" he called down to where Remus sat, beaming as he held his wife around the waist. "I see you didn't let Hermione in on my surprise."

"I wouldn't have dreamt of it, Ron," Remus grinned back at his younger friend. "Hermione needs a little spontaneity, she works too hard. Reckon it's why she married you."

Hermione scoffed, but there was no scorn on her face. She beamed up at her husband, whom she hadn't seen in over two months, and at Remus. "Will you be staying until it's time to come down to Harry's, Ron?"

Ron nodded. "Yea. I could use a little time up here anyway- the Ministry's crazy right now. Voldemort's dead but there's still dark wizards all over the place. It's madness sometimes."

Remus sighed. All of them had hoped that after Harry had finally vanquished Voldemort, darkness would be gone entirely; but this was a fool's hope and he supposed he'd always known that. It was just a bit depressing to know that there were still evil wizards who wanted nothing more than to cause pain around.

But he forgot this as students began poring into the Hall and he and Hermione resumed their breakfast with Ron between them. It was, after all, Christmastime, and soon he would be with all of his friends. Deciding he should get back to prepare for his lessons that day, he excused himself and went to his classroom.


End file.
